The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-28

L pretended 10 search, and the
drawing close to Miss Robertson, said
quickly:
Creep away now. Keep close 3
the rail and crouch low. Get to ron
cabin and change your dress Roll tn
clothes you are wearing in bundl
and hide them for the present"
She glided away on her little feet
STOPPING her head to level with tn
rail.
All was quiet forward-the main
deck deserted. l waited some seconds
standing with my hand on the box
and then showed it right overheard
1t fell. just as l expected, with /,
humping splash.
Instantly l roared out: "Man over
board! Down with your helm! Ths
boson's goner' and to complete tn,
imposture, bounded aft, cut away !.
life-buoy, and flung it far into til,
darkness astern.
Cornish obeyed me literally; put tht
helm right down, and in a few mo
| ments the sails were shaking wildly.
STEADY" I shouted. :. Aft herr
and man the port main-braces! Bear s
hand! the boson's overboardr'
NV excitement made nv voice reso-
nant as trumpet, and the men in
both watches came scampering along
the deck.
Up rushed the carpenter in a very
short time, rather the worse. Thought,
for the dose he had swallowed.
Whats the matter?' he beloved,
lurching from side TO. side. as the ship
rolled. for we were now broadside on.
1.-The bosom has fallen oyerboard.''
l shouted in his ear: and I had need
to shout, for the din of the canvas was
deafening.
DO You say the BOSOM he bawled.
"Yes. What shall we do? Is it too
dark to pick him up?''
"Of course. it is,' he cried. Hes
drowned by this time. Who's to find
him? Give EN- the proper orders.
tell We, Mr.. Royle. Sing out to the
men. for the Lords sake
VERY WE'LL" l replied, with a
great air of reluctance, and l de-
livered the necessary orders. The
carpenter worked like a mailman,
bawling out that if the ship was dis
masted, sll hands would certainly be
hanged; and he so animated the men
that the work was done in one quarter
of an hour which usually would have
required three times as much.
Itwas now one o clock. so it had taken
less than an hour to drown the boat
swain, put the ship in irons and get
her clear again.
Stevens came Off the main-deck on
to the poop. greatly relieved in his
mind. now that the sails were full and
the yards trimmed. and asked me how
it happened that the boatswain fell
overheard.
I replied. very gravely. that had
come on deck at eight bells, being
anxious to see what way the ship was
making and'now she was heading: that.
remembering l had left an overcoat in
one of the guarter-boats, | looked. but
could not find it: that l spoke to tbs
boatswain. who told me that he had
seen the coat in the stern-sheets of the
quarterback: that afternoon. and got
on the poop-rail to search the boat;
that l had turned my head for mo-
ment, when l heard groan. which
was Immediately followed by loud
splash alongside. and perceived that
the boatswain had vanished.
So" continued !, Il pitched life
buoy astern and sung out to put the
helm down: and | must say, Mr..
Stevens. that | think we could have
saved the poor fellow had we tried
But you are really the skipper of this
ship. and since YOU objected l did not
There's no use sayin' we could ha'
saved him." rejoined Stevens. gruffiy.
II say We couldn't. Who's to see him
in the dark? We should have had to
burn = fare for the boat to find US.
and what with our driftin' and their
lumpin' about. missing their road. and
doing no airthly good. We should ha'
ended in losin' the boat
He hung about the deck for whole
hour, though l had offered to take the
boatswaih's watch. and go turn and
turn about with him (Stevens), and he
had long yarn with the man at the
wheel. which l contrived to drop in
upon after awhile. and found Cornish
explaining exactly how the boatswain
fell overheard. and corroborating nv
story in every particular.
Thus, laborious Is my stratagen had
been, it was. rs this circumstance alone
proved, in no sense too iaborei: for
had not Cornish seen with his own ewes
the boatswain and myself standing
near the boat just before l gave the
alarm he would in all probability have
the affair in such way to
stevens rs to set him doubling my
story, and perhaps putting the men on
% search the ship, to see if the boat
swain was overheard. He went below
1t two O'Clock.
The sea fell calm, and the wind
shifted roucd to the nor ard and west
ward, and was blowing steady. pleas
mt breeze 1T six bells. The stars came
out and the horizon cleared. Soon tee |
lawn broke and Stevens went below
% put on his coat and cap and top
boots. in order to relieve NE. for i, was
low four o clock. The dawn had
,roken with every promise of fine
Law
1 was thoroughly exhausted, not so
much from the want of rest As from
he excitement l had gone through. |
'till. had part to play before
urned in: so | stuck my knuckles in
ny eyes to rub them open. and waited |
or Stevens, ~ho presently came on
Ieck.
I'm growed sick o. the sight O. this
'oop. he growled to me. Sick o. |
he sight o the whole vessel Fust
art o the voyage l WAS starved for
God. Now. with the bosom overheard,
m starved for sleep. How long are
re going to take to reach Florida?
ink me if shouldn't ha' voted for